HAPPY NEW YEAR!...and my "one little word"

Wow! Can you believe it’s already 2013? Christmas seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye…and, while it was fun and exciting, I have to say I am soooo ready to start a new year.

This year (2013) is the second year I’ve chosen “one little word” to focus on for the next 12 months. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of “one little word,” you can check out the back-story here…

For 2013, the word I have chosen is STRONG. This year I am all about making some big changes…and I am going to have be really STRONG to do that. I know that I have let a lot of things “go” in the past few years and it’s time to turn those things around. It’s time to be STRONG. And, while I am super-excited about what may be the end result of my endeavors, I am NOT super-excited about the steps I will need to take to reach my goals…that is one big reason why I need to be STRONG. One of my biggest struggles this year will be to lose weight (please tell me I’m not the only one)…but, this time (yes, I’ve tried more than once), I don’t want to just be thinner. I want to learn how to eat better…how to use food as fuel instead of just eating for taste…how to stay thinner and healthier. I want to learn to be STRONGER.

To help me along my journey, I have created a layout using my “one little word” as the focus. I propped this layout up on the shelf over my desk so that it is front and center whenever I enter our family room. I am hoping that this constant reminder will serve to help me along my way…

I started with a sheet of Heidi Swapp'sVintage Chic paper in Worldwide. First, I cut it down to 8.5×11, rounded the corners and added some drops ofPrimrose Color Shine. I absolutely love the combo of the mustard with the pink…it’s just so vibrant and full of life. I misted somechevron Color Magic paperwith the Primrose, and, because I LOVE this look (and I’ve been using it on EVERYTHING I’ve been creating for the past month or so), I cut a piece of wax paper, scrunched it up and placed it on top of the Color Magic paper.

***Just a little side note: I’ve found that if I add a sheet of wax paper in between two bold patterns, it sort of breaks up the boldness without detracting from the colors, patterns, etc. It also adds another layer (!!!) and a little texture…huge plus. And did I mention that I LOVE this look???***

I sewed the two background pieces (the chevron & the wax paper) to the Worldwide paper for two reasons…1. I love the way the stitching looks on the paper and 2. wax paper doesn’t stick really well to ANYTHING (I mean…that’s what we use it for in the kitchen, right???).

In the bottom corner I sewed a few highly inspirationalSentiment Stickers…and I stamped a little gentle “remember” reminder…along with another arrow, using Heidi’sClear Stamps.

Aaaaaand, that’s not all. I’ve also included a little hidden pocket that holds a small journaling book.

First let me show you how I made the book…

I re-sized some of Heidi’s digital printable Sugar Chic note cards to about 2×3. Then I added washi tape to the front and back of the left edge of each card. Then I lined the cards up and sewed down the washi tape to create the little book.

***Note: the washi tape covers only about 1/8″ of the edge of each card…use tape on both the front and back of each card so that the cards don’t stick to each other…and make sure your stitch line does not go over any of the paper…you want to be able to turn the pages with no trouble at all).***

And this is how I made the “pocket…”

I cut a small piece of extra paper and adhered it to the back of my layout (leaving the middle open to form a little space for my book).

Easy peasy, right? I tried to make the back look fairly decent because this layout will eventually become a page of a larger book I am using to track my goal progress for the year (the book I’m using is my “Show Stopper” Project from Heidi’s Memory File class).

Here’s just a little sneak…

So, there it is. The start of what will hopefully be a big book full of goals met, chances taken, and strength gained. I’m so looking forward to this beginning…wish me luck.